My Vagina, My Choices
Posted by Michelle Moquin on July 31st, 2012
Good morning!
I cannot express it enough: “STAY OUT OF MY VAGINA!”. No, no, no….I’m not talking to the lovers in my life :), I’m talking to those PTP LSOS republicans that can’t seem to mind their own business when it comes to womens’ VAGINAS.
And, please somebody tell me what is going on with some women in this country….because I am dumbfounded by the dumb women in this country who refuse to take control of their bodies, and the decisions made about their bodies, by handing the decision making over to a man.
Yes, I am talking to you women who do this – you know who you are. If this election doesn’t inspire you to dump the repubs, your man, or anyone else who tries to control you, your body, I am afraid nothing will. And that, girls, is a scary thing for all of us. But I refuse to give up HOPE that the dumb ones will come to their senses. Before election time please.
Here’s the latest on the PTP LSOS republicans trying to get into our pants, up our skirts, and whatever else they need to do to take control and change our vagina rights:
The Two Abortion Wars: A Highly Intrusive Federal Bill
House Republicans are preparing to push through restrictions on federal financing of abortions far more extreme than previously proposed at the federal level. Lawmakers who otherwise rail against big government have made it one of their highest priorities to take the decision about a legal medical procedure out of the hands of individuals and turn it over to the government.
Their primary bill —the “No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act” — is so broad that it could block insurance coverage for abortions for countless American women.
The anti-abortion forces almost derailed health care reform last year over whether people could buy policies that cover abortion on new insurance exchanges. The compromise embedded in the reform law sets up a hugely complicated plan to segregate an individual’s premium payments from the government subsidies. It is so burdensome that it seems likely to discourage insurers from offering any abortion coverage at all on the exchanges.
But anti-abortion lawmakers are not satisfied. The new bill, introduced by Christopher Smith, a New Jersey Republican, would bar outright the use of federal subsidies to buy any insurance that covers abortion well beyond the new exchanges.
The tax credits that are encouraging small businesses to provide insurance for their workers could not be used to buy policies that cover abortions. People with their own policies who have enough expenses to claim an income tax deduction could not deduct either the premiums for policies that cover abortion or the cost of an abortion. People who use tax-preferred savings accounts to pay medical costs could not use the money to pay for an abortion without paying taxes on it.
The only tax subsidy left untouched is the exclusion that allows workers whose premiums are subsidized by their employers to avoid paying taxes on the value of the subsidy. Many, if not most, employer-sponsored insurance plans cover abortions. There would have been a huge political battle if workers were suddenly told they had to pay taxes on the benefit or change their policies.
The Smith bill also would take certain restrictions on federal financing for abortions that now must be renewed every year and make them permanent. It would allow federal financing of abortions in cases of “forcible” rape but not statutory or coerced rape, and in cases where a woman is in danger of death from her pregnancy but not of other serious health damage. It would free states from having to provide abortions in such emergency cases.
A separate Republican bill would deny federal funds for family planning services to any organization that provides abortions. It is aimed primarily at Planned Parenthood’s hundreds of health centers, which also provide many other valuable services. No federal money is used for the abortions. This is a reckless effort to cripple an irreplaceable organization out of pure politics.
******
Readers: What more can I say? Your turn. Blog me.
Peace out.
Lastly, greed over a great story is surfacing from my “loyal”(?) readers. With all this back and forth about who owns what, that appears on my blog, let me reiterate that all material posted on my blog becomes the sole property of my blog. If you want to reserve any proprietary rights don’t post it to my blog. I will prominently display this caveat on my blog from now on to remind those who may have forgotten this notice.
Gratefully your blog host,
michelle
Aka BABE: We all know what this means by now :)
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July 31st, 2012 at 7:13 am
June, it is that impactful, now if some of the skin color rabid repugs would watch it, they’d see how absurd their behavior was/is and be ashamed. That was filmed the day after MLK was shot and she did that exercise to get the children to understand how quickly prejudice can be indoctrinated and acted upon. Seriously, all you racists should watch it.
RT, #107-8 I think, (sorry all initials are lacking in staying power), you’re right SP is political prime times KIm Kardashian, redeeming qualities (1), good looking, hmm, and I think Kardashian’s curves have more POP value and are photographed more often. Both are caricatures of the American woman and lifestyle, I have nothing in common in with these 2 way overstated ‘beauties’ – while both might be considered hot that’s the only category they’ve put themselves in, one judged on looks. Although the media does a fine job of chopping up women based on their looks only also.
Mischa, another good one, you’re the mac mamma of blogs ; ) I am around today and will give you a call, let’s start the vmail trail again!
Luv, Zen Lill
July 31st, 2012 at 8:16 am
Here it is again: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8bWlTZZN3DY
just trying to make it easy for you, so you do yourself and the world a great service and watch it!
Consider this video ‘racism 101′ it’s that simple and powerful.
…and with Mischa’s informative post, it is 2fer Tuesday, learn, love and live : )
Peas out – ZL
July 31st, 2012 at 9:00 am
this seems to be the romney’s camp’s answer for everything: I left Bain at this point, never mind the documents, buzz off. Americans have all my tax data they deserve; don’t like it, p*** off. We’ll discuss Israeli settlements in private, dam* it.
I think romney would be happy if we just made it a requirement that you had to have 100 million in the bank to run, 10 million to vote, and the rest of us just shut up because guys like him know what’s best for us.
July 31st, 2012 at 9:02 am
Mitt Romney is a successful corporate raider, he’s done a great job at turning around the olympics 1.3 billion of tax payers money that is more than President Obama stimulus he’s Failed as Governor , he’s a great family man but Presidency , this is not something that he feels in his bones.
Romney is missing what this job is about ?!!!
July 31st, 2012 at 9:07 am
Thirsty for Weight Loss? Drink This
If I poured you three beverages—soda, punch and water—and asked, “Which is healthiest?” the answer would be a no-brainer.
But not necessarily for the reason that you think.
Sure, water is free of sugar, calories and artificial junk, but it’s also healthier because drinking it encourages you to choose better-for-you foods and eat more of them, according to a new study.
Here’s more about how drinking good old-fashioned H2O can change the way you eat for the better.
WE ARE WHAT WE…DRINK?
Researchers at University of Oregon in Eugene and Michigan State University in East Lansing conducted two studies examining the role of drinks on food choices.
In the first study, based on a five-point scale (with 1 meaning “I disagree” and 5 meaning “I agree”), adults reported that they were much more likely to pair soda with salty, high-calorie foods such as pizza than consume soda with raw or cooked vegetables, on average.
On the other hand, plain water received ratings that fell into the middle across the board, on average, indicating that it was considered a reasonable complement to most foods.
In the second study, an experiment took this concept a step further. Water, this study suggests, doesn’t just encourage you to choose healthier foods—it actually may help you eat more of those healthy foods.
Kids ages three to five in the experiment ate roughly one-third more red peppers or carrots when they were given water instead of a sweetened drink, such as Hawaiian Punch.
HOW BEVERAGES AFFECT WHAT WE EAT
To discuss the findings, I called T. Bettina Cornwell, PhD, coauthor of the study and a professor of marketing at the University of Oregon. These results seem reasonable to Dr. Cornwell, and they make sense to me, too.
For one thing, we begin forming ideas about which foods and drinks “go together” from the time we eat our first Happy Meal at McDonald’s with soda or consume our first sippy cups of water with fruit, said Dr. Cornwell.
In other words, these habits are ingrained in us—they may even feel like automatic choices in that you make a decision without truly weighing your options.
But let’s not forget that our taste buds play a role in this, too. Soda has such a powerful, sweet, fizzy taste that it gives us almost a meal’s worth of sensory experience in and of itself. If you’re going to enjoy eating something with it, then, that food is going to have to keep up with it in the flavor department.
So it’s understandable that when you drink soda, you tend to reach for extremely salty, fatty foods that are savory and rich—any less-powerful-tasting food would simply be overpowered by soda.
When you choose water, on the other hand, you can appreciate the subtle sweetness of an apple…the delightful combination of bite and smooth nuttiness from a simple oil and vinegar dressing…or the freshness of a piece of broiled (not fried) fish—instead of craving “big hits” of sugar, fat or salt. Like white wine with seafood and red wine with spaghetti bolognese, certain foods and drinks simply make great combinations.
DRINK UP!
What’s most interesting about this study is that sweet drinks aren’t just bad for us because of their sugar and calorie content, but also because they provide such a huge sensory punch that they make us want to choose savory, unhealthy foods to go with them.
It also made me think about the fact that diet sodas have a “sensory punch” that feels as strong as the kind that you get from regular sodas—even though they’re enhanced by artificial sweeteners and not natural sugar or high fructose corn syrup.
Though Dr. Cornwell didn’t study diet sodas, she said that it’s possible that those types of drinks might cause us to reach for unhealthy foods, too.
So if you’ve been drinking diet soda to cut calories, you might be canceling out any benefit due to the diet soda’s effects on your food choices. That’s why water is still likely to be your best bet.
If you’re stuck in a rut of drinking soda, punch or even sweetened tea, don’t lose hope. Bad habits can be changed. Obviously, it will take diligence and mindfulness to switch your beverage of choice to water with most meals.
But it doesn’t take long to retrain your palate, said Dr. Cornwell—meaning that if you start drinking water with meals, pretty soon you’ll stop missing the overpowering drinks you may have been choosing before.
And you’ll start enjoying healthful foods that you may not have enjoyed for a long time.
A double win!
Source: T. Bettina Cornwell, PhD, Edwin E. & June Woldt Cone Professor of Marketing, Lundquist College of Business, University of Oregon, Eugene.
She is coauthor of a study that was published in Appetite.
July 31st, 2012 at 9:14 am
When will legislators just leave the practice of medicine to physicians? Nobody would want their local state representative in the operatiting room telling the surgeon how to perform a bypass on their heart or ordering the surgeon around while he was trying to remove your child’s appendix.
Why let that same representative tell a physician what OBGYN procedures are allowed for women? If all science was dictated by politicians, the world would still be flat and the sun would revolve around the earth…
July 31st, 2012 at 9:15 am
Thank you Michelle, abortion should be a personal choice. If you don’t feel that an abortion is a choice for yourself then don’t get one but don’t take away that right from someone else.
Making abortion harder to get only makes women suffer more. There are too many dangers created if women have a hard time getting an abortion.
July 31st, 2012 at 9:18 am
I am for the bill as it provides an opportunity to foster insight to life. Nothing is made mandatory.
Females are and should be held accountable at the point of origin of this new life over simply providing a means of escaping responsibility so one can play or encourage males who want more girls to play.
This should include matters of the mothers health, incest and rape. Why should a female be excused because of any of those conditions. God has given her a life and a life she should have. A mother should embrace life and not treat that life like a used prophylactic.
John
July 31st, 2012 at 9:24 am
Romney aide Rick Gorka lost his temper with reporters in Warsaw after they shouted questions at the candidate on Tuesday morning.
Rick Gorka, Romney’s traveling press secretary, told reporters, “Kiss my ass, this is a holy site for the Polish people. Show some respect.” He told Politico’s Jonathan Martin to “shove it.”
=======================
Go Romney..Refreshing a Political leader that shows he says what he thinks..and BOWS to no one..
You think HE insulted Britain??..wow..he told the truth..just as they have been saying all along.Returning busts and cheap gifts?.try a refreshing moment..
the same thing in Israel..respect for our Ally..not making them sit while he eats his dinner just to show DISrespect….(how soon we forget)…..
But you will NEVER hear that from the PRESS..so yes they can kiss their asses
July 31st, 2012 at 9:28 am
John, so you think women just wake up and say, “I want an abortion” like they’re ordering a #4 at McDonald’s? Step out of your delusional world for a second and realize that having an abortion is a traumatic experience for women and their families.
Women don’t take this lightly and don’t need to be demonized at every point of painful experiences in their lives.
Maybe if you loons like you would be more willingly to support reasonable social services at all levels of life, more women would opt to have adoptions, or better yet, there wouldn’t be such high rates of pregnancy among women least equipped to be able to raise a child who will have success live.
July 31st, 2012 at 9:35 am
Let me get this right. According to the Republicans, as birthing agents, women have the responsibility to carry their pregnancy to term.
Simply put, and this is GOD’S ORDINATION, they don’t have a right to artificially end their pregnancy any more than they have the right to artificially and immorally prevent conception.
If they behave irresponsibly by getting pregnant when they weren’t trying to do so, then we have to step in as the responsible agents and insure that they finish what they started.
If only women would keep that aspirin between their knees then we wouldn’t have to make sure they do the right thing.
Women if you are okay with that, vote republican.
Trudy
July 31st, 2012 at 9:41 am
Michelle, I am a woman who is against abortion for any reason. If God gave a woman life in her womb she should do everything in her power to protect it, regardless of how she got it.
You have missed the point if you think abortion is about women’s rights. When evaluating whether abortion is right or wrong morally, you have to have an objective mindset.
You have to be subjective in your viewpoint, and focus only on the act of the abortion itself. Every woman that comes through the doors that is thinking about an abortion has a different story to tell.
Those creating laws and passing legislation should not concern themselves on the backstory, but rather only focus on the abortion itself. Is aborting a baby morally correct? Is killing life okay? That is the way abortion should be studied and scrutinized.
Everyone wants to make excuses and throw out everything that led up to the moment of walking into a doctor’s office to abort life.
People that commit crimes everyday probably have had many bad things happen to them leading up the moment where they committed the crime.
In the court of law, what is used to pass down punishment to the individual committing the crime? Can the lawyer say, “Well he was brought up and did not have a good childhood” and then the judge presiding over the case should say it is okay because that individual had a rough upbringing?
False, that individual who committed the crime is judge by the crime they committed. Nothing from the past or leading up to that point.
Judges don’t study criminals past and lessen the punishment due to the fact that something happened 15 years prior to their conviction.
Why isn’t abortion viewed from this standpoint. Evaluate the abortion, and that is all. It is sad for some women who choose to get an abortion due to a criminal act by someone else, but it should not be included in the study of abortion.
These are my thoughts, and curious on what others might think about it.
Remember, this isn’t about woman’s rights, it is about whether Abortion is wrong and what separates an abortion from murder?
God Bless, and lets protect life.
July 31st, 2012 at 9:42 am
Wow, John, in order to sleep tonight I’m going to assume that your whole post was sarcasm.
July 31st, 2012 at 9:44 am
I’m so glad the local Republicans have endorsed Romney. We need men like him as president to END ALL ABORTIONS NATIONWIDE.
Once we get enough Republicans in office statewide, we can finally ban contraceptives. In our permissive feel good society this may seem extreme, but not to long ago, all major religions opposed contraceptives.
It’s only the indulgent insidious leftward tilt of our mainline protestant churches that have allowed contraception to be seen as “ok”.
Once people know that nature will be allowed to take its course, they’ll be a lot more likely to act responsibly and “just say no”.
July 31st, 2012 at 9:47 am
This woman sees it differently Michelle. Isn’t it obvious that those against these bills are only “pro-choice” when the “choice” is abortion.
God forbid that a woman might change her mind and choose LIFE. Oh no, that’s not acceptable.
If you are truly “pro-choice” then you should have no problem with a woman getting the full information before making such a huge decision. You should have no problem with women choosing not to abort.
Many times these scared and pressured women are lied to and told their child is just a “product of conception” or a “bunch of cells.” Lied to by people who stand to make a profit in the abortion industry.
We saw our daughter at 6 weeks gestation (4 weeks after conception) – she was absolutely beautiful – heart beating 157 beats a minute – her two brain globes forming. Saw our son at 10 weeks – he seemed to be waving at us.
Sonos show that the “product of conception” is a human being. That’s why they are so effective in changing a woman’s mind towards life. The horror!!
And who in the heck truly for women’s HEALTH would be against making abortion mills safer by meeting more rigorous health standards.
Late term abortions involve anesthesia etc. I’m all for stricter standards. Do you want another Kermitt Gosnell scandal like in PA?? Shame on anyone who is against making abortion SAFER for women.
July 31st, 2012 at 9:52 am
A legislator (R) in the State of Virginia withdrew “his” bill for required transvaginal sonograms to be performed on women requesting an abortion.
SNL spoofed his bill, and others did also. It created a fury against “him”. Some groups demanded rectal prostate exams for men wanting Viagra if the bill passed.
The politicians seeking election are trying to make a big issue regarding contraception, and abortions for votes. It has backfired against them mostly across the nation.
I expect they will start “hunting communists” next to get attention. The country has changed; but some politicians have not caught on yet.
July 31st, 2012 at 9:53 am
Christine you are a LSOS when you claim that you are forcing women to take invasive soon grams, look at pictures, etc before they can have the abortion they come to a clinic for.
It is just your attempt to force your beliefs on that poor woman. At least have the faith in your convictions to tell the truth. Michelle does.
You on the other hand spout God while lying in his name. Perhaps that is the reason he has to be a he for you.
Ellen
July 31st, 2012 at 9:55 am
Christine, has your god taught you no compassion? I think the point is that even asking a woman who has been raped or who is a victim of incest if they would like to see the result of that rape/incest is traumatic.
The woman has already been through a great deal, has already anguished over what to do about the unborn child that is the result of her attack and now has to be asked if she wants more proof of what happened to her.
At least they aren’t REQUIRING the sonogram as part of the abortion as they do/have pushed for in other states.
I am a woman and I can’t say I know what I would do if I was that kind of victim. I don’t yet have a daughter but if one day I do, I DO know that I would want to do everything in my power to prevent her from further trauma.
If she already made a choice I wouldn’t want her to be made to feel worse about it because someone somewhere thinks it’s a good idea.
July 31st, 2012 at 9:57 am
I am very pro-life but I also wonder how I would handle things if raped. I think the pro-life support of my husband and family would be there for me and support me through the pregnancy.
It is a traumatic and horrible thing all around. Sadly I have a two close friends who have gone through rape and incest. There are no words for how evil and horrible it is. No words.
But listen to your argument – why would it put an abortion-minded woman through further trauma to see the sono of her child? Because we are talking about killing a human being, not a few “product of conception” cells. And everyone who has seen a sono of their child knows this.
Yes, short-term it might be less traumatic for a victim or any pregnant woman not to see the sono and to not think of their child as a human.
But long term? Somewhere they are going to be in a check out line and see a Time Magazine cover of a child in the womb or watch a PBS special on life in the womb.
Or maybe they will see a sono of a planned child in a prenatal visit. The truth of prenatal development will be there for them to see eventually. Why are we so afraid of giving women the real picture, all the information?
Finally, I am tired of people thinking the rape / incest thing is “the point.” There are 1.2 – 1.5 million abortions in this country a year – how many are due to rape / incest?
In fact the abortion industry encourages rapes and incest by allowing these creeps to cover up their crimes by getting rid of the pregnancy – so they can continue their abuse.
In IL your 13 year old daughter could get knocked up by her middle aged teacher/coach and get a late-term abortion (anesthesia and all) and you would not even have to be notified let alone give your consent.
How scary is that??
No one is forcing a woman to see a sono – just offering it to her so she can make an informed decision. Why are they afraid of informed decisions?
July 31st, 2012 at 10:01 am
Susan, you are full of shit. Welcome to the LSOS club with full privileges. It is blasphemous that you people use the name of Jesus Christ or God in vain. It’s not a matter of ‘giving’ them the information. It’s simply another attempt to put one more roadblock in the way for a woman to have a legal abortion.
I suppose in your world, the crazies who stand outside of clinics videotaping women who enter and holding up posters of aborted fetuses are simply trying to make sure that women are informed.
Paula
July 31st, 2012 at 10:03 am
That was funny Michelle. I suppose you had your reasons so I won’t comment. But as to today’s topic, as usual you have a very clear understanding of the issues.
If I may stand beside you with my short burst of logic, my comment would be.
Women’s health issues ARE NOT up for legislation by a group of repressed male conservatives.
Ruth
July 31st, 2012 at 10:05 am
Gotta agree with you, Paula. Seems like one group wanting to impose their view on others thru legislation. Always happens in an election year when one party is trying to demonize the other party.
My wife, and I disagree on the subject of abortion. We agree on the subject of contraception. We both agree that legislated social beliefs are wrong.
It is each individual’s choice; not the group with the most votes. The sudden increase of bills by legislators across the country regarding required information to women is one party pandering for votes.
July 31st, 2012 at 10:17 am
Only a white man running against a black man for the president of the country could get away with telling the MSM of the USA in a foreign country to kiss his ass and get away with it.
The white press can’t call him out on it because it could cost him the election. So for the most part, they pretend it wasn’t all that bad.
If a member of Obama’s staff had done anything close to that kind of disrespect, they would be calling for the person’s ouster and labeling Obama unfit to serve in the office.
But as in the many other gaffes made my this inept, LSOS, and major flip flopper, he is given a pass by the MSM.
The Press, including Fox, must not stop asking questions of Romney’s past 12 tax returns…which will put a spot light on his wealth in secret accounts offshore…
This is a billion dollar question – and he should not be allowed to wiggle out of it dishonorably…or dishonestly…
If Obama had not shown his tax returns, the fuss would have reached epic levels by now.
But its a case of RFOWB. Running For Office while Black.
And that just the way it is in my country, America.
Troy
July 31st, 2012 at 10:18 am
Once again republicans on this site are providing me with free comedic relief.
On one hand they say the reporters deserve it because they were “yelling at mitt on sacred ground. At the same time completely disregarding the aide using profane language on that same supposed sacred ground.
Oh YOU people that work for mitt.
July 31st, 2012 at 10:22 am
Obviously Barrack still suffers from the “coil of rage” against white people mentioned by him in his book…
I guess this is just one way to make him feel better about himself but I doubt it will cause him to change his views about the white portion of his heritage which he so strongly ridicules and demeans despite their role raising him so, in other words, who cares?
Sounds to me like a contrived continuation of the ongoing attempt to try to create this man’s background. Gee what’s left that can bring him to a closer relationship with the US other than his mother?
I am sure it is imparitive, given Mr. Obama’s admitted antagonist view of everything related to white people (like the young black woman mentioned in his book that he broke up with because she “wasn’t black enough” to suit him) that we of course now discover he is decended, through his mother, to a black slave…and not just A black slave but the first one recorded….seriously?
Geez he’s pratically a superstar!! Please – I can’t wait to hear his “I’m descentded from the first recorded slave” reference at the next black caucus meeting to rekindle the flames of support.
I’m not buying this one….this is one fairytale that needs to end with “thank God for the two term limit”
July 31st, 2012 at 10:26 am
It’s surprising that genealogists at Ancestry.com would come to this conclusion when all serious genealogists insist on much more proof to substantiate lineage.
Suppositions such as this which are not proven create nothing but red herrings in not only their research but for other genealogists now and in the future.
I’m not sure of Ancestry.com’s motivation in making this statement but they have made a huge mistake by merely guessing and leaping to conclusions without more proof.
More research is needed before they can make this type of statement. If I were to conduct my research this way I could have “proven” many ancestral lines hundreds of years further back.
July 31st, 2012 at 10:28 am
Pat only a white idiot would think that a black man would delight in discovering he was a descendant of “the first recorded slave” for white america.
I guess you have to be seriously racist white to see that privilege.
July 31st, 2012 at 10:32 am
Does Chewing Gum Boost Memory?
Remember those studies about how chewing gum might improve your brain power? The idea was that, somehow, chomping and cogitating at the same time helped your short-term memory so that you could be better at remembering the name of someone you just met, remembering the knitting instructions you just read, remembering what you were supposed to pick up at the grocery store and the like.
Researchers from Cardiff University in the United Kingdom were never quite convinced by those studies. They wondered why chewing gum while trying to think would be such a good idea when many other studies have shown that multitasking is a bad idea—it makes us more distracted and less efficient.
So they performed their own study to try and settle the matter.
Should we stock up on Wrigley’s or Trident before tackling a task that involves our short-term memory?
This new study proposes an interesting answer…
THE DISTRACTION OF CHEWING
Michail Kozlov, the lead researcher and a PhD candidate at the university, told me about experiments that he and his colleagues conducted.
In one experiment, subjects were shown a sequence of seven letters in a random order—each letter flashed briefly on a computer screen, one at a time. Afterward, all seven letters appeared on the screen together, and students were asked to place them in the order that they’d been shown. (That’s called testing for “order.”)
In another experiment, students were shown eight different single-digit numbers that each flashed briefly on a computer screen in random order. Then they were shown seven of the eight single-digit numbers and were asked to name which number was missing. (That’s called testing for “identity.”)
When students performed the tasks while chewing gum, their recall was, overall, 5% worse on both “order” and “identity” tasks, compared with when they performed the tasks without chewing gum.
For good measure, the researchers tested both “natural” and “vigorous” gum chewing—with the same result for both.
“The findings clearly warrant a reevaluation of the assertion that chewing gum benefits short-term memory,” Kozlov said. “Instead, we found that chewing has the opposite effect—a negative impact on short-term memory.”
THE CHEWING GUM WARS
Now, you may be wondering, how can similar studies lead to such dissimilar findings? And how can we be sure that these new findings trump others from the past?
When I asked Kozlov about the contradiction, he said that the experiments that were done in prior studies tested only “identity,” not “order”—and that “order” is important because it’s what’s really needed in everyday life tasks, such as sequencing numbers on a spreadsheet or even just remembering things you read, for example.
Plus, he said, short-term memory tasks should be done quickly, within seconds. The longer information is stored, he said, the more likely that long-term memory is involved. In previous research on gum, the tasks tended to last minutes rather than seconds (which is how long Kozlov’s experiments took).
He told me that there’s no storage device in our brains for short-term information. Instead, we use other skills to keep that kind of information active—like repeating an unfamiliar phone number over and over to ourselves as we go to dial it.
This kind of activity engages the brain, but if you’re simultaneously doing something else, such as tapping your finger, twirling your hair or, it seems, chewing gum, then you don’t have as much brain power to devote to remembering the phone number.
So if you find yourself in a situation where you need to process information immediately, then you’re better off with nothing in your mouth. Save the gum-chewing for when you’re not intensely focused on a task!
Source: Michail D. Kozlov, PhD candidate, School of Psychology, Cardiff University, UK.
July 31st, 2012 at 10:33 am
Howie, where are you? I hope you are doing okay. I had to read through more than 100 comments yesterday hoping to find one from you.
Loren
July 31st, 2012 at 10:37 am
Michelle, have you thought about limiting your comments to under 30? This used to be a very nice family feel blog. Now it is a site for every loon to come to to voice an opinion or grief.
I am a UFO person and a fan of Howie and the aliens. It is tough for this 73 year old man to have to search through 100 plus comments to find a morsel of interest.
Have a heart. Limit the number of comments you will accept in one day to your blog.
Greg
July 31st, 2012 at 10:41 am
I couldn’t be happier.
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WASHINGTON — A Democratic Party source confirmed to The Huffington Post that the party will include a plank supporting marriage equality in its official platform at the upcoming convention.
The news, first reported by the Washington Blade, represents a historic and phenomenal win for LGBT rights groups, which could hardly have envisioned progress being made so quickly on this front.
======================
Once again, it took a black man to bring this predominately white country into the 21st Century.
EVERYBODY should have a right to equality under the law in America. This country belongs to all of us.
Alycedale
July 31st, 2012 at 10:44 am
Wake up White America before it is too late. Through speeches and regulations, the nigger is trying to eliminate all public references to religion, to force religious worship behind closed doors and to coerce religious institutions into financing drugs and gay procedures that violate their religious faith.
obamacare will force Christian hospitals, colleges and schools to pay for abortifacients, contraceptives and sterilizations for their employees.
July 31st, 2012 at 10:45 am
Alycedale, you may feel that this abomination is great but most of God fearing America don’t. We see it for what it is.
I was thinking about what Billy Graham said:
“I never thought I would see the day I had to explain that marriage is defined as 1 man and 1 woman”.
I wonder what will be next? I am afraid to ask.
James
July 31st, 2012 at 10:46 am
Wow, Democrats having some balls, and principals not determined by corporations: now THAT’S change I can believe in!!!
July 31st, 2012 at 10:46 am
I am so grateful my party is going to openly support marriage equality. Sometimes I think civil rights progress is stagnant in this country, but guess what, I’m wrong!
July 31st, 2012 at 10:47 am
I am all for gay marriage. But I would like to know if the Democratic Party has a stance on the plight of the working class, on corporate welfare, on imperial wars, and civil rights.
July 31st, 2012 at 10:47 am
VG, Same sex marriage also falls somewhat under workers rights.
(Benefits, etc…)
But when the ACA gets into full effect … the healthcare part might be a moot point.
July 31st, 2012 at 10:51 am
VG, Yes, we do. The Jobs Bill and lowered taxes for the middle class; end corporate welfare including tax loopholes and lower tax rates; end wars as quickly as possible; and, well, support of all minorities for equality.
Seriously, if we can give Obama coat tails by holding the Senate and returning the majority of the House to the Dems, you will see the changes and results that you want.
Get out and vote. Make it happen.
Shannon
July 31st, 2012 at 10:53 am
I would venture to say the most of the U.S. electorate have no clue as to the dramatic impact of accepting gay marriage.
There are over 1,138 government rules that exclude anything other than a marriage between a man and a woman.
Examples: Visitation rights in hospitals of a dying partner, social security benefits to a gay partner, Eligibility for Surviving Parent Benefits; Same-sex couple, deceased worker was the biological parent or adoptive of the child – not eligible for surviving child or parent benefits; and 1,135 other rules.
If this passes Congress and signed into law, this will impact employers who will now have to offer health care to the gay spouse of an employee and it will impact all employees’ health care contributions.
Gay couples pay the same taxes and work the same jobs as straight couples so the question becomes one of equal rights. This will have a greater impact on Americans than the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
July 31st, 2012 at 10:55 am
Yeah, I kind of like the Dems changing their party name to ” The Gay Liberal Party” They will finally have something to define them. It describes what they are doing to America.
Gays need to stay in the closet, if we agree not to prosecute them for their deviate lifestyle.
July 31st, 2012 at 11:06 am
MB#39, “I would venture to say,” you have no clue what you are talking about. But then again your diatribe could be a clever attempt to scare the populace so let me inform them about your lies, beginning with this quote from you.
“If this passes Congress and signed into law”
That’s not going to happen and I suspect that you know that.
“This will have a greater impact on Americans than the Civil Rights Act of 1964.”
What are you smoking, MB? Only 1.8% of the population is gay. You’re comparing gay marriage to legislation that outlawed major forms of discrimination against racial, ethnic, national and religious minorities and women.
It ended unequal application of voter registration requirements and racial segregation in schools, at the workplace and by facilities that served the general public.
Gay marriage isn’t in the same league as racial inequality. It is an equal right that is due a group that has been deprived of equality under the law.
But you know that. It is just that your kind always wants to force your beliefs upon the rest of us. And when you can’t appeal to logic to get your beliefs accepted, you turn to god.
When religion won’t work you attempt to scare us with some trumped up catastrophe that will surely follow if we don’t accept your beliefs.
I hope I have made some small dent in that attempt.
Alycedale
July 31st, 2012 at 11:09 am
There are zero reasons on God’s green earth why people who love each other shouldn’t be allowed to be married.
There are zero reasons in the US Constitution as to why they should not.
This is a no brainer. Like the women’s right to vote.
Equal protection under the law is for EVERYONE who is a US citizen.
July 31st, 2012 at 11:26 am
Latest Romney ad: BELIEVE IN AMERICA
John Gizzi says Senate is ripe for Republican takeover. He showcases 15 or so races and handicaps them. Read more here.
Buzzfeed: New York state senate candidate Mindy Meyer will endorse Mitt Romney for president.
The Debunker asks do more guns equal more murders?
Rep Ted Poe in today’s Human Events: THE DRONES ARE COMING: “Who will operate these drones, and what will be their mission? Could it be a suspicious government agent who thinks someone looks kind of funny? The EPA bureaucrat who wants to snoop on somebody’s farm and watch Bessie the cow graze in the pasture? Or a nosy neighbor who wants to make sure someone’s shutters are pretty and the flowers don’t violate the homeowners’ association rules? Read more here.
LA Times: And it looks like China and the U.S. are in a war at the Olympics, arguing that the other country’s athletes are doping, including Michael Phelps.
Have a great day,
-Adam
July 31st, 2012 at 2:18 pm
Mary #7:
You took the words right out of my mouth.
I agree with your comment 100%.
Shall Women be forced to return to coat hangers and back alleys to perform abortions? Hell No!
If a Woman does not want an abortion then no one will force her to have one. However, if a Women wants one for a plethora of reasons, she should have the right to have one.
HOWIE
July 31st, 2012 at 4:53 pm
Howie, & Mary #7, thank you both for stating the obvious (what should be obvious) in such a succinct manner, there are many verbose comments above, though you Howie always know how to ‘cut to the chase’
- it’s all in that one sentence: If a Woman does not want an abortion then no one will force her to have one. However, if a Women wants one for a plethora of reasons, she should have the right to have one.
- ZL
July 31st, 2012 at 7:24 pm
It’s ironically funny, but if you take all of the dogmatic religious rhetoric out of the equation, and put aside any political partisan arguments, you will honestly find that everyone should be able to marry whomever they wish, a woman should own her own rights to her body, and we are all one and part of a hive that we cannot escape from called Earth, which is its own type of specie and will be around much longer than we will…and humans have a phrase that “we must save the Earth?” We must save us from ourselves first.
July 31st, 2012 at 8:36 pm
Howe, you said it simply and with all the input needed to solve the problem.
Patricia
July 31st, 2012 at 10:55 pm
Misch, your vmail is full, woman! & I hope that’s a good thing ; ) – ZL
August 1st, 2012 at 9:07 am
As yet no trace of the Ojibawe have been recorded since casti. The Xilnoix has the best opportunity to note. It is feared they met the Unexpected without faculty.
Lar-6
August 1st, 2012 at 9:17 am
Howie, good afternoon. What are the U/lar-7 talking about?
August 1st, 2012 at 9:17 am
Howie, do you know what happened to the Ojibawe?
August 1st, 2012 at 9:18 am
Howie, who are the Xilnoix? I have never heard of them. I thought I had a complete record of all the aliens on this blog.
August 1st, 2012 at 9:19 am
Howie, can you translate number 49 by Lar-6?
August 1st, 2012 at 12:32 pm
[...] reported yesterday on Michelle’s blog that the Ojibawe popped off the radar since the time of casti. Some [...]
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